. "Who sent you? Not
he, I know! When he's got anything to do at the wharf he comes himself."

And Mrs. Higgs gave an ugly, mirthless chuckle.

As Max stared at the withered, lined face, which was growing each moment
more repulsive in his eyes, a feeling of horror and of intense pity for
Dudley seized him. To be pursued, as his friend evidently was pursued,
by this vicious old hag, was a fate hideous enough to expiate every
crime in the Decalogue.

A little rapid reflection made him decide that a bold course of defiance
was the best to be taken. Whatever Dudley might have done, and whatever
terrors Mrs. Higgs might hold over his head, it was very certain, after
all, that the evidence of such a creature, living in such an underground
fashion, could never be a serious danger to a man in his position.
Dudley himself seemed rather to have lost sight of this fact, certainly;
but it could not be less than a fact for all that.

"Mr. Horne is not likely to trouble you or the rest of the thieves at
the wharf again," said Max, with decision. "He's gone abroad for a
holiday. And if you don't take yourself off at once, or if you turn up
here again, or if you attempt to annoy us or Mr. Horne, in any way
whatever, you'll find the police at your heels before you know where you
are."

Then into her dull eyes there came a look of malignity which made Max
doubt whether he had done well to be so bold.

"Thieves, eh? Tell your friend we're thieves, and see what he says to
that! Police, eh? Tell your friend _that_, tell your friend
_that_, and see whether he'll thank you for your interference!"

"Mr. Horne is away, as I told you."

"Away, is he? But he won't be away long. Oh, no; he'll come back--he'll
come back. Or if he doesn't," added Mrs. Higgs, with complacency, "I'll
fetch him."

"Well, you've got to leave this place at once," said Max, with decision.
"We don't allow strangers in the barn, and if you don't go quietly at
once, I must send somebody to turn you out."

Mrs. Higgs kept her eyes fixed upon him with her usual blank stare while
he said this in a very loud and decided tone. When he had finished she
suddenly blew out the light with so much unnecessary force that Max felt
something like a gust of wind upon his face.

"Turn me out!" and she laughed harshly. "Turn me out! Send for the
police to do it, if you like."

Max went out of the barn, listening to her cackling laugh, and not
feeling comfortable until he had f